Richard h



(No Model.)

B. H. WELDEN.

ELECTRIC SWITCH BOARD.

Patented Apr. 17

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD H. \VELDEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND JOSEPHCALMEYN, OF SAME PLACE.

' ELECTRIC SWITCH-BOARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part 91' Letters Patent NO. 381,303, dated April17, 1888.

Application filed September 6, 1887. Serial No. 248,921. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern;

Be it known that I, Brennan H. WELDEN, residing at Chicago, in thecounty of Cook and State of Illinois, and a citizen of the UnitedStates, have invented a new and useful Improvementin ElectricSwitch-Boards, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is anillustrative View showing the connection between the switch-board,roombells, annunciator, and the battery. Fig. 2 is a top or plan view ofthe switch-board. Fig. 3 is an under face view with the bottom removed,showing the board for use in ringing a single bell. Fig. 4 is an underside view with the bottom removed, showing the board arranged for use inringing all the bells connected therewith. Fig. 5 is a section on linea: m of Fig. 3.

This invention relates to a switch-board primarily designed for use inconnection with a hotel, factory, or other building having a bell in theseparate rooms which can be rung from tlie'main office, as required, tocall any particular room or party; and the object of the invention is toconstruct a switchboard by which any desired bell of a number of bellscan be rung singly or all of the bells can be rung simultaneously-as,for instance, in giving an alarm of fire to the inmates of the variousrooms or in case of other danger, and also to enable the occupant of aroom to signal the main office in case of fire or other danger v so thata general alarm can be sent from the main office to all the rooms; andthe invention is further applicable to other uses where it is desired tosend a call or alarm to a single point, or a general call or alarm'toseveral points; and its nature consists in providing a switch-boardhaving a series of pins or posts for connection with electric wires, andwith each of which a key can be brought into engagement to complete thecircuit, or with all of which a band can be brought into engagement tocomplete the circuit for all the wires, and in the several parts andcombinations of parts, hereinafter described, and pointed out in theclaims as new.

In the drawings, A represents abed or plate of wood, vulcanized rubber,or other suitable non-conducting material, either of a circular form, asshown, or otherwise formed. This bed or plate A on its under side isprovided with a groove, a, and running from the bottom of this groovethrough the plate or bed is a series of holes to receive connecting pinsor posts b.

B is a bottom corresponding in shape to that of the bed or plate A, andalso made of wood, vulcanized rubber, or other non-conducting material,and connected to the bed or plate A by suitable screws, a, or otherwise,and through which and the bed-plate the connecting-pins b pass, as shownin Fig. 5, each pin having a button or head, b, for contact with the keyor switch.

C is a band of sheet-brass or other conducting material located withinthe groove a and connected at one end by a loop, 0, to a pin or screw,0, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4:.

D is an arm or lever the inner end of which is pivotally connected tothe plate A and the outer end of which is connected by links d with aloop, 0, at the end of the band C, and at the outer end of the arm D isa pin, d, which passes up through a slot, (1, in the bed or plate A andis provided with a head or button, D, of non conducting material. Thislever B operates the band sothat when the arm is turned as shown in Fig.3 the band will lie against the outer wall of the recess a and out ofcontact with the pins or posts b, and when turned to the position shownin Fig. 4 the band will be drawn in and brought into contact with all ofthe pins or posts b, as shown in Fig. 4.

E is a recess in the under face of the bed or plate A, in which the armD swings.

F isa switch arm or key pivoted at its inner end by a pin or pivot, f,to the plate A, and, as shown, this pivot f also forms the connectionfor the arm D to the plate A, and the outer end of the arm F swings in acircle over the heads I), so that such end can be brought into contactwith any desired head or button I).

The connection between the battery M and pin f for the current is had bya wire, 9, and this current passes from the pin f to the switch arm Fand to the arm D and band C, and from each pin I) leads a wire, h,running to a bell, H, mounted on a board, G, as shown, or otherwisesupported, and from each bell H a wire, h, leads to the return-wire h,running back to the battery. The connection is only shown to twoindependent bells H; but as many connections are to be had by the wiresh as there are bells in the circuit. Each board G has mounted thereon anordinary push-button, I, on the base of which is a two-way switch, J,andleading from the push-button and switch to the wire it is aconnecting-wire, i, and from each push-button and switch is a wire, i,running to a bell, K, and an annunciator, L, having the usual displaynumbers, Z, and the bell and annunciator are connected with the bat teryby a wire, is, to complete the circuit. lhe occupant of a room rings uphis number on the annunciator by the pushbutton I, as usual, the releaseof the button stopping the ringing of the bell K; but when the occupantdesires a continuous ringing oi the bell K the switch J is moved ontothe button or head j, produc ing a connection until the switch is movedback to the position shown in Fig. 1.

The operation of the switch-board is as follows: The board is located inthe main otfice of a hotel, factory, or other building accessible to theone having charge of such ofiice, and to call up any room the key F isbrought over the button or head I) having a corresponding number to thatof the room to be called, when, by pressing on the key, the connectionis made and the bell H in the room rung. If the occupants of all of therooms are to be notified simultaneously in case of a fire or otherdanger, the arm D is swung around into the position shown in Fig. 4,bringing the band G into contact with all of the pins or posts bandcompleting the circuit between the battery and all of the bells in thevarious rooms, producing a continuous ringing of such bells until thearm D is thrown back into the position shown in Fig. 8, carrying theband 0 out of contact with the pins 1) and breaking the cir cuit, andwhen in theposition shown in Fig. 3, with the band out of contact, theboard is for use by the switch key F on any desired head or button I).

The occupant of aroom can ring up the annunciator by pressing on thepush-button I,

and in case the office is to be notified ofa fire or other danger in anyroom the occupant turns the switch J onto the head or button j,notifying the office by the continuous ringing of the bell K of thedanger, and the party in charge of the office can then notify all of therooms by bringing the band G into contact with all of the pins or postsb.

The device is very simple in construction and can be applied and usedwith the ordinary annunciator, if so desired, or be used with a bell atthe main office simply, and by its use any one room can be called or allof the rooms can be called simultaneously, and,alt-hough designed foruse principally in a hotel or other building having a number of roomsand occupants, it will be found useful wherever it is desired to call upone party at a time or to ring up a number of parties, or to call asingle station on a line or circuit or call up all of the stations on aline or circuit simultane' ously, and it can also be used in a system ofelectric lighting for lighting one lamp at a time or in lighting all ofthe lamps in a circult simultaneously.

WVhat I claim as new,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with a base or bed, A, carrying a series of pins orposts, I), of the band 0, for bringing all of the pins or posts,

into a circuit simultaneously, substantially as and for the purposesspecified.

2. The base or plate A, having the groove a and a series of pins, 2), incombination with the band C and swinging arm D, for drawing the bandinto contact with all of the pins or holding the band out of contactwith the pins,substantially as and for the purposes specified.

3. The bed or base A, having the groove a and a series of pins or posts,I), in combination with the band C, swinging arm D, and switchkey F, forringing all of the bells in a circuit or each bell singly, substantiallyas and for the purposes specified.

RICHARD H. WELDEN. Witnesses:

ALBERT H. ADAMS, O. W. BOND.

